liv-s     * 


A  Guide 

to  the 


Operas;  Symphonic 
Poems;  Overtures 
Incidental  Music 

and          Songs 

Based  on 

SHAKESPEARE'S 

PLAYS 

by 
THEODORE  J.  1RWIN 


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Theodore  J.  Irwin 
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«? 

y 

THEODORE  J.  IR  WIN 

Professor  Pianoforte,  Organ  and  Composition 
MUSICAL     LECTURES     OUTLINED 

154.8  N  St.         Fresno,  California 


"THE  SHIP  O'  DREAMS"  Vocal 
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INDEX 


TRAGEDIES 

Page 

Antony  and  Cleopatra  3 

Coriolanus      -  -     3 

Hamlet  1 

Henry  VIII  6 

Julius  Caesar      -  3 

King  Lear  -     2 

Macbeth      -  4 

Merchant  of  Venice  3 

Othello  2 

Richard  the  Third  3 

Romeo  and  Juliet       -  4 

Romeo  and  Juliet  -  5 

COMEDIES 

As  You  Like  It  -  9 

Measure  for  Measure  -  10 

Merry  Wives  of  Windsor  -  10 

Midsummer  Night's  Dream   -  -     9 

Much  Ado  About  Nothing  -  10 

Taming  the  Shrew  -  10 

The  Tempest  7 

Twelfth  Night  -     8 

Winter's  Tale 11 


SONGS 

Cymbeline  -  12 

Love's  Labor  Lost  12 

Venus  and  Adonis  -  12 

The  Passionate  Pilgrim  -       12 

The  Merchant  of  Venice  -  12 

Two  Gentlemen  of  Verona  -  -       12 

884821 


Introduction 


The  aim  of  this  book  is  to  give  a  complete  list  of  the 
musical  compositions,  operatic  and  orchestral,  that  are  based 
upon  the  different  plays  of  Shakespeare.  To  some  of  these 
works  short  notes  are  appended.  I  hope  the  book  will  be  of 
especial  value  to  librarians,  music  clubs  and  teachers. 

That  the  book  may  be  of  the  most  practical  use,  I  have 
adopted  the  following  plan: 

\Vorks  of  prime  importance  are  marked  thus**. 

Works  of  secondary  importance  are  marked  thus*. 

If  there  are  several  compositions  based  on  one  play,  I 
place  them  in  the  order  in  which  they  should  be  acquired. 

A  certain  proportion  of  compositions  named  have  no  sign 
.attached.  These  are  the  works  which  have  not  stood  the  test  of 
time.  I  should  also  state  that  a  number  of  Shakespeare's 
plays  have  never  been  set  to  music,  speaking  in  an  orchestral 
and  operatic  sense. 

Many  people  have  doubtless  wondered  that  the  great  com- 
posers have  not  written  more  music  based  on  Shakespeare's 
plays.  This  may  be  attributed  to  two  causes :  In  the  first 
place,  the  attempt  to  heighten  the  effect  of  Shakespeare's 
plays  by  presenting  them  in  an  operatic  or  orchestral  form  is  a 
task  that  would  daunt  any  man  not  profoundly  conscious  of 
his  ability,  or  possessed  of  a  highly  favorable  opinion  of  his 
own  talents.  Secondly,  some  of  the  great  classic  composers 
left  the  operatic  field  untouched ;  others  selected  their  subjects 
from  such  sources  as  the  Greek  tragedies  (Gluck),  Legends 
(Mozart),  Folk  Lore  (Weber),  Mythology  (Wagner);  and  in 
fact,  with  the  exception  of  Mendelssohn  and  Berlioz,  we  must 
look  for  the  musicians  who  were  at  their  prime  during  the  last 
half  century  to  find  our  musical  settings  of  Shakespeare. 

Regarding  the  purchasing  of  these  compositions,  I  would 
say  that  two-,  and  sometimes  four-hand  pianoforte  arrange- 
ments of  most  of  the  leading  orchestral  works  can  be  had,  while 
the  leading  operatic  works  will  be  found  in  vocal  score  with 
frequently  an  English  version  under  the  original  text  of  the 
opera. 

There  are  several  books  published  giving  the  traditional 
airs  to  Shakespeare's  songs.  I  omit  mention  of  those  airs,  but 
after  each  play  will  be  found  a  list  of  mostly  modern  settings  of 
the  Bard's  lyrics. 


TRAGEDIES 


HAMLET 
**0verture  Fantasia,  Op.  67A.    Composed  1885,  Tschaikowsky 

This  work  does  not  offer  the  clear  cut  outline  of  the  play 
which  we  find  in  the  same  composer's  setting  of  "Romeo  and 
Juliet"  or  "The  Tempest."  Neither  is  it  as  effective  pianisti- 
cally  as  the  others.  In  its  orchestral  form,  with  all  the  rich 
tints  of  the  orchestral  combinations,  one  would  have  a  much 
clearer  conception  of  the  work.  Of  course,  this  statement  ap- 
plies to  all  pianoforte  arrangements;  but  some  works,  as  the 
two  mentioned  above,  are  more  effective  on  the  piano  than 
others.  The  best  one  can  do  is  to  state  the  movements. 

Opening  with  a  Lento  Lugubre,  the  music  works  up  into  a 
Poco  Animate.  Then  the  tempo  goes  back  to  Andante,  quickly 
followed  by  an  Allegro  Vivace  movement.  This  movement  is 
quite  long,  relatively  speaking,  and  is  followed  by  an  Andante 
of  eighteen  measures.  This  passage  has  the  Russian  mould, 
and  later  on  is  treated  more  fully.  A  mournful  melody,  which 
is  undoubtedly  the  "Ophelia"  motif,  is  next  heard.  This  is 
given  out  once  and  followed  by  a  passage  Animate.  The  theme 
preceding  the  "Ophelia"  motif  then  appears  again  for  ex- 
tended treatment,  then  the  "Ophelia"  motif  again.  A  passage 
of  stormy  music  folows  leading  into  an  Allegro,  Alia  Marcia, 
and  the  work  end  with  a  short  Grave  movement. 
*"Melodram,  Maersche  and  Entractes"  to  Hamlet, 

Tschaikowsky 
**Symphonic  Poem,  No.  10    -  -      Liszt 

This  work  has  neither  program  nor  any  kind  of  preface, 
and  is  described  in  the  original  manuscript  as  a  "Prelude  to 
the  Drama."  It  brings  before  the  hearers  the  brooding  prince 
— not  the  story  of  his  life,  not  even  his  whole  career,  only  a 
dominating  feature.  The  indications,  "very  slow  and  sombre," 
"Appassionata  ed  agitato  assai,"  "this  episode  in  three-two 
time  should  be  played  extremely  quietly  and  should  sound 
like  a  shadow  picture."  Pointing  to  Ophelia — "ironica  lugu- 
bre,"  shows  that  allusions  to  persons  and  circumstances  affect- 
ing his  mood  were  not  wanting. 

**Hamlet,  Orchestral  Poem    -  -    Macdowell 

*0phelia,  Orchestral  Poem     -  -     Macdowell 

Overture,  Op.  37  -     Gade 

Overture  -  -  G.  A.  MacFarren 

Overture    -  -      Joachim 

Opera,  Hamlet,  Comp.  1868  -        ...  Ambroise  Thomas 


This  French  work  is  the  only  attempt  to  write  an  operatic 
version  of  "Hamlet,"  and  as  the  music  is  more  tuneful  than 
dramatic,  and  the  librettists  butchered  the  play,  it  can  hardly 
be  considered  as  a  serious  attempt  to  present  Hamlet  in  operatic 
form. 

KING  LEAR 

*  Overture 


-  Balakireff  (1837-) 
*Entractes 

**0verture,  "Le  Roi  Lear,"    -  -    Hector  Berlioz 

Composed  about  1825. 

This  overture  ranks  high  among  dramatic  overtures. 
Overture  -  -    Bazzini  (1818-1897) 

OTHELLO 

**0pera  (composed  1887)  Verdi 

Notable  passages  and  scenes  in  the  play : 

End  of  first  act,  duet,  Othello-Desdemona. 

Second  Act,  lago,  Scene  "Credo." 

Finale,  Othello  appealing  to  Heaven  to  punish  the  wife  he 
believes  untrue. 

Third  Act,  Othello  accusing  Desdemona  of  unchastity. 

Fourth  Act,  "Willow  Song." 

"His  (Verdi's)  inexhaustible  stream  of  melody  remained 
as  pure  and  full  as  ever,  while  the  more  declamatory  parts  of 
the  opera,  down  to  the  slightest  piece  of  recitative,  are  in- 
formed by  a  richness  of  suggestion,  and  an  unerring  instinct  for 
truth,  such  as  it  would  be  vain  to  seek  in  his  earlier  work.  In 
'Othello'  the  action  is  rapid  for  the  most  part,  and  in  many 
scenes  the  music  only  aims  at  furnishing  a  suitable  accompani- 
ment to  the  dialogue."  (Streatfield — The  Opera.) 

"From  the   opening  scene  to   the   strangling   scene,   the 
music  flows  swiftly,  as  swiftly  as  the  drama.    Rich,  varied  and 
eloquent,  the  orchestra  seldom  tarries  in  its  vivid  and  acute 
commentary.     (Huneker.) 
**0verture,  "Othello,"  Op.  93  Dvorak 

First  performed  in  America,  1893. 

"It  is  a  graphic  picture  of  the  last  scenes  of  the  tragedy— 
the  prayer  of  Desdemona,  her  sleep  and  terrible  awakening,  the 
jealousy  and  revenge  of  the  Moor."     (Upton — Standard  Con- 
cert Repertory.) 
Opera    -  -    Rossini 

Long  since  vanished  from  the  boards. 
Symphonic  Poem  -        -  -  Zdenko  Fibisch  (1850-1900) 


Songs : 

Ave  Maria  -      Verdi 

And  let  me  the  canakin  clink  -    Harvey  Worthington  Loomis 

The  Willow  Song      -  Rossini 

The  Willow  Song     -  -      Humfrey 

JULIUS  CAESAR 

Overture,  Op.  128    -  -    Schumann 

Outside  of  this  overture,  which  is  one  of  Schumann's  in- 
ferior works,  I  can  find  no  mention  of  any  other  compositions. 

ANTONY  AND  CLEOPATRA 

*0verture      -  -      Vincent  D'Indy 

D  'Indy  is  one  of  the  leading  French  composers,  and  such  a 
subject  should  be  peculiarly  well  fitted  to  D'Indy's  orchestral 
coloring  and  melodic  outline. 

Overture  -  -  Rubinstein 

Overture,  title  of  "Cleopatre"    -  -    August  Enna 

CORIOLANUS 

There  is  no  music  written  to  Shakespeare's  play,  but  Bee- 
thoven wrote  one  of  his  noblest  overtures  to  a  play  based  on 
the  same  subject,  and  written,  I  believe,  by  an  Austrian  dra- 
matist. 

RICHARD  THE  THIRD 

"Symphonic  Poem     -  -     Smetana 

The  composer  speaks  of  this  work  in  a  letter  to  Liszt  say- 
ing :  "It  consists  of  one  piece  (Satz)  and  the  tonal  vesture 
(Betonung)  clings  pretty  closely  to  the  action  of  the  tragedy — 
the  attainment  of  the  proposed  aim  after  the  overcoming  of  all 
obstacles,  triumph  and  fall  of  the  hero.  Two  short  motives  are 
quoted  as  representative  of  the  hero  (who  acts  throughout  the 
whole  movement),  and  of  the  opposing  party. 
Volkman  also  wrote  an  overture. 

MERCHANT  OF  VENICE 

Overture  -  -  Macfarren 

Incidental  Music  -  -  Sullivan 

Songs : 
How  sweet  the  moonlight  sleeps  -  -   Calcott 

Quartette,  mixed  voices. 
How  sweet  the  moonlight  sleeps  -  -  Henry  Leslie 

Quartette,  mixed  voices. 
How  sweet  the  moonlight  sleeps  -  -  William  Reed 

Quartette,  mixed  voices. 


MACBETH 
Symphonic  Poem,  Op.  23  (composed  1887)    -    Richard  Strauss 

This  is  the  first  of  Strauss 's  symphonic  poems.  Beyond  the 
title — that  is,  beyond  the  wider  reference  to  the  drama — there 
is  little  to  indicate  the  details.  This  "little"  consists  of  the 
word  "Macbeth"  above  the  sixth  bar,  and  further  on  these 
words  of  Lady  Macbeth,  "Hie  thee  hither,  that  I  may  pour  niy 
spirits  in  thy  ear,  and  chastise  with  the  valour  of  my  tongue  all 
that  impedes  thee  from  the  golden  round  which  fate  and  meta- 
physical aid  doth  seem  to  have  crowned  thee  withal."  If  a 
brief  account  of  the  work  as  a  whole  is  wanted,  we  may  call  it 
an  illustration  of  Macbeth 's  character  and  soul-struggles. 
Cantata,  Lady  Macbeth  -  -  Wambach 

Overture  and  incidental  music  -  -  Spohr 

This  has  passed  into  oblivion. 

Overture  -  -  Bruell 

Overture,  Op.  30    -  -    Lucas 

Incidental  music  -  -  Sullivan 

Opera     -  -  -     Verdi 

This  opera  was  killed  by  the  libretto.  The  music  shows 
Verdi  striving  for  a  higher  plane  of  musical  expression  than 
he  attained  in  his  earliest  operas;  but  nevertheless  it  is  one 
of  Verdi's  poorest  operas. 

Overture    -  -    Raff 

Overture  -  -  Lucas 

ROMEO  AND  JULIET 
*0pera,  "Romeo  et  Juliette"  -  -  Ch.  Gounod 

Produced  in  1869. 

The  libretto  is  in  five  acts. 

First  act:  Ball  at  Capulet's  house,  and  first  meeting  of 
lovers. 

Second  act :    Balcony  scene. 

Third  act :  Marriage  of  Romeo  and  Juliet,  Friar  Laur- 
ence's cell;  duels  in  streets  of  Venice. 

Fourth  act :    Parting  of  lovers  in  Juliet 's  chamber. 

Fifth  act :    Tomb  of  the  Capulets. 

Gounod's  music  is  considered  by  critics  to  be  but  a  faint 
reflection  of  the  enchanting  strains  found  in  "Faust."  Oc- 
casionally liis  music  is  very  fine,  but  the  general  dramatic 
worth  can  be  estimated  by  Gounod's  own  action  in  closing  the 
Fourth  Act  with  Friar  Laurence  giving  the  potion,  making  no 
{Attempt  to  set  the  potion  scene  to  music. 

Seventeen  operas  have   been  written  on  this   play,   but 
Gounod's  opera  is  the  only  one  that  has  survived. 
**0verture  Fantasia  -  -  Tschaikowsky 

Here  we  have  an  orchestral  work  by  the  great  Russian 
composer  that  stands  in  the  first  rank  of  works  of  its  kind. 


Tschaikowsky  at  one  time  had  serious  thoughts  of  writ- 
ing an  opera  on  the  play,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  he  did 
not  carry  out  his  intention.  In  this  overture-fantasia  no  de- 
scriptive notes  of  any  kind  are  attached  to  the  score,  yet  we 
can  trace  the  action  of  the  play  from  beginning  to  end  in  the 
music. 

The  composition  opens  with  religious  harmonies  suggest- 
ing Friar  Laurence,  or  symbolical  of  the  serious  action  of  the 
play.  The  music  gradually  works  into  an  Allegro  descriptive 
of  the  hatreds  of  the  rival  houses.  Measure  after  measure  of 
syncopated,  crashing  chords,  rushing  passages  for  violins,  un- 
derneath, the  basses  in  deadly  earnestness.  Studied  out,  this 
impresses  the  student  as  thoroughly  descriptive  of  the  raging 
passions  of  the  opposing  families.  The  tumult  dies  down  and 
the  Love  Theme  enters.  It  is  very  short — only  eight  measures 
— but  it  comes  again  worked  out  to  a  magnificent  climax. 
After  the  Love  Theme  comes  a  passage  of  lamenting  chords 
that  seem  to  say,  "Thy  joy  is  brief;  canst  thou  not  feel  the 
chill  wind  that  ere  long  will  quench  the  rapture  of  these  em- 
braces ;  the  icy  hand  that  will  lead  thee  unresisting  to  take  thy 
place  with  thy  forbears  who  also  loved  and  died." 

The  strain  is  brief;  the  Love  Theme  enters  again,  soars 
aloft,  then  dies  down.  The  stormy  movement  begins  again, 
and  we  read  in  the  music  the  many  episodes  which  mark  the 
tumultuous  passage  of  the  drama.  Again  the  weird  chords 
enter  with  a  throbbing  undercurrent.  Again  the  Love  Theme 
enters ;  this  time  it  is  worked  out  Apassionata.  The  ominous 
strains  of  the  feud  are  heard  again,  but  they  quickly  die  down 
and  sombre  chords  follow.  Then  comes  a  melodic  arpeggio 
passage.  Could  we  call  it  the  soft  lament  of  gentle,  high-born 
maidens  on  the  passing  of  the  loveliest  soul  of  all? — and  the 
composition  ends  with  dirge-like  chords. 
**Romeo  and  Juliette, ' '  Op.  39  -  Berlioz 

Dramatic  symphony  with  choruses,  vocal  solos,  and  a  pro- 
logue in  choral  recitative. 

A  distinguished  critic,  speaking  of  this  work,  says : 

"In  'Romeo  and  Juliette,'  Berlioz  produced  a  work  which 
shows  his  genius  and  craftsmanship  at  their  highest  pitch; 
but  which  as  a  whole  is  a  monstrous  jumble  of  incongruities — 
a  compound  of  all  styles  and  genres,  where  symphony  and 
cantata,  the  narrative,  the  lyrical,  the  dramatic  and  the  pro- 
grammatic are  intermixed  in  defiance  of  taste  and  reason.  The 
five  pieces  that  form  the  predominating  symphonic  portion  are 
of  unequal  value — three  of  them  belong  to  the  composer's  very 
best  achievements  and  most  commendable  specimens  of  pro- 
gramme music;  and  two  to  his  least  happy  achievements  and 
most  doubtful  specimens  of  programme  music." 

The  three  notable  orchestral  pieces  are:     The  first  and 


then  exceedingly  brilliant  "Romeo  alone";  Sadness  and  Con- 
cert and  Ball  (Grand  Festival  at  the  house  of  Capulet)  ;  the 
enchanting  "Love  Scene — a  serene  night,  the  silent  and  de- 
serted garden  of  Capulet";  and  the  indescribable  Scherzo, 
"Queen  Mab,  or  the  Dream  Fairy." 

HENRY  VIII 

Opera    -  -    Saint  Saens 

Produced  in  1883.    This  opera  is  still  popular  in  Paris. 
This  opera,  like  all  of  the  distinguished  French  composer's, 
is  a  masterly  piece  of  writing. 

Orpheus  with  his  lute  -  -  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan 

Orpheus  with  his  lute    -  -    Carl  Busch 

Orpheus  with  his  lute  -  -  C.  F.  Manney 

Orpheus  with  his  lute    -  -    Clara  Ross  Ricci 

Trio,  female  voices. 


COMEDIES 


"The  Tempest"  has  had  at  least  fourteen  operatic  settings 
by  French,  Russian,  Italian  and  German  composers,  one  of  the 
most  recent  works  being — 
Der  Sturm    -  -    Zdenko  Fibisch  (1850-1900) 

Also — 

Overture     -  -     Vierling 

Overture    -  -    Raff 

Incidental  music  -  -  Sullivan 

Ballet  Music  -  -  Ambroise  Thomas 

-Fantasy,  "The  Tempest"  -  -  John  K.  Paine 

*Music  to  "The  Tempest"    -  -    Van  Der  Stucken 

**Fantasia,  Op.  18  (composed  1873)  -  -  Tschaikowsky 

During  the  winter  of  1872  Tschaikowsky  asked  his  friend 
Vladimer  Stassov  to  suggest  a  subject  for  a  symphonic  fan- 
tasia, a  Shakespearian  subject  preferably.  Stassov  shortly 
wrote  to  Tschaikowsky,  proposing  ' '  The  Tempest, ' '  and  outlin- 
ing in  elaborate  and  enthusiastic  detail  the  poetic  and  drama- 
tic plan  which  he  conceived  should  underlie  the  music,  as  fol- 
lows: 

' '  I  have  in  my  mind  that  the  sea  should  appear  twice — at 
the  beginning  and  at  the  end.  At  the  beginning,  in  the  in- 
troduction, I  think  of  it  as  calm,  until  Prospero  speaks  the 
magic  words  and  conjures  up  the  storm.  But  this  storm  must 
break  out  instantaneously  in  all  its  violence,  and  not,  as 
usually,  becoming  gradually  wider  and  louder.  I  propose  so 
peculiar  a  form  for  the  storm,  because  in  this  case  it  is  raised 
by  magic  words,  whereas  in  all  operas,  symphonies  and  orato- 
rios hitherto  written  it  arises  from  natural  causes.  After  the 
storm  has  abated  the  magic  island  appears  in  all  its  wonderful 
beauty,  and  the  still  more  beautiful,  still  more  glorious  maid, 
Miranda,  who,  like  a  sunbeam,  walks  with  light  step  on  the 
island.  Her  conversation  with  Prospero,  and  immediately  af- 
terwards with  the  youth  Ferdinand,  who  surprises  and  enrap- 
tures her,  and  with  whom  she  at  once  falls  in  love.  The  mo- 
tive of  the  falling  in  love  should  be  like  an  unfolding,  like  a 
growing;  in  Shakespeare  it  is  so  described  at  the  end  of  the 
first  act;  and  I  believe  that  would  be  the  very  thing  for  your 
talent.  After  this  I  would  propose  the  appearance  of  Caliban, 
the  animal-like,  low  slave;  then  further,  Ariel,  whose  pro- 


gramme  is  to  be  found  in  Shakespeare's  song,  "Come  unto  these 
yellow  sands."  After  Ariel,  Miranda  and  Ferdinand  must 
again  come  upon  the  scene,  but  this  time  full  of  impetuous 
passion.  Then  the  imposing  figure  of  Prospero,  who  resigns 
his  magic  power,  and  takes  leave  of  his  past.  At  last,  at  the 
end,  again  the  sea,  the  calm,  still  sea,  which  bathes  the  lonely 
island,  now  abandoned,  whilst  its  hapy  inhabitants  are  carried 
in  a  ship  to  distant  Italy." 

It  will  be  noticed  in  going  through  the  list  of  musical  set- 
tings, that  Tschaikowsky  composed  music  to  several  of  Shake- 
speare's plays.  I  recommend  the  "Life  and  Letters  of  Tschai- 
kowsky," edited  by  Rose  Newmarch,  for  those  who  wish  to 
get  a  fuller  insight  into  the  personality  of  this  man  who  de- 
voted so  much  of  his  talent  to  musical  expositions  of  Shake- 
speare's plays. 

Songs : 

No  more  dams  I'll  make  for  fish  -        -  John  Christopher  Smith 

Where  the  bee  sucks  -  -  Dr.  Thomas  A.  Arne 

Where  the  bee  sucks  -  -  Sir  Arthur  Sullivan 

Where  the  bee  sucks    -  -    Pelham  Humfrey 

Come  unto  these  yellow  sands    -  -    Henry  Purcell 

Full  fathom  five  thy  father  lies  -  -  Henry  Purcell 

Full  fathom  five  thy  father  lies  -  -  Robert  Johnson 

TWELFTH  NIGHT 

Overture  -  -  Mackenzie 

Songs : 

0  mistress  mine  -  -  S.  Coleridge  Taylor 

She  never  told  her  love  -  -  Franz  Joseph  Haydn 

When  that  I  was  a  little  tiny  boy  -                 -    Gerard  Barton 

When  that  I  was  a  little  tiny  boy  -        -    C.  Villiers  Stanford 

When  that  I  was  a  little  tiny  boy  -                 -    Joseph  Vernon 

When  that  I  was  a  little  tiny  boy  -  -  Robert  Schumann 

0  mistress  mine    -  -    Villiers  Stanford 

Come  away  Death  -  -  Villiers  Stanford 

0  mistress  mine  -  -  H.  W.  Cardew 

0  mistress  mine  -  -  H.  Walford  Davies 

Come  away,  come  away,  death  -  -  H.  Walford  Davies 

Come  away,  come  away,  death  -  -  H.  Walford  Davies 

When  that  I  was  a  little  tiny  boy  -  -  H.  Walford  Davies 

0  mistress  mine  -  -  H.  U.  Drayton 

Come  away,  Death    -  -    H.  U.  Drayton 

Which  is  the  proper  way  to  drink?  -                 -    Dr.  T.  A.  Arne 

Comic  glee,  mixed  voices. 

If  music  be  the  food  of  love  -  -  J.  Charles  Clifton 

8 


i  *  Overture  ( 
**Incidental 

Scherzo ; 
drama ;  Interi 
iHarch;  Allegi 

I  know  a  bank  - 

Duet  for  twi 
Titania's  cradle 
You  spotted  snakt 

Quartette,  worn 
Over  hill,  over  dale  - 
Now  the  hungry  lion  re 
Much  ado  about  nothing 
Sigh  no  more,  ladies  - 
Sigh  no  more,  ladies    - 
Sigh  no  more,  ladies     -  Fisher 

Take,  oh  take  those  lips  away  -    John  Wilson 

AS  YOU  LIKE  IT 

Overture  -  -  Lucas 

Songs : 

Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind  -  -  J.  Sargeant 
Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind  -                -  William  Arms  Fisher 

The  maid's  garland     -  -      Dora  Bright 

Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind  -  -  Charles  Hotham 

Under  the  greenwood  tree    -  -    Charles  Hotham 

Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind    -  -    Agnes  Zimmerman 

It  was  a  lover  and  his  lass  -  -  Thomas  Morley 

Under  the  greenwood  tree    -  -    Carl  Busch 

Under  the  greenwood  tree    -  -    C.  Hubert  Parry 

It  was  a  lover  and  his  lass     -  -      Clough  Leighter 

Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind  -  -  Gerard  Barton 

Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind  -  -  B.  Luard  Selby 

Part  song,  mixed  chorus. 
What  shall  he  have  who  killed  the  deer?    -        -    H.  R.  Bishop 

Male  quartette. 

It  was  a  lover  and  his  lass  -  -  Paul  Ambrose 

Quartette,  mixed  voices. 

It  was  a  lover  and  his  lass  -  -  Gerard  Barton 

It  was  a  lover  and  his  lass  -  -  H.  W.  Car  dew 

Retraite  (le  chant  D'amiens)  -  -  Paul  Vidal 

Sous  bois  (2d  chant  d' Amiens)      -  -      Paul  Vidal 

Ecossaise,  due  des  pages  -  -  Paul  Vidal 

Choeur  des  chasseurs    -  -    Paul  Vidal 

Soli  et  choeur  a  4  voix  mixtes. 


Wagner 

imitation 
;cided  its 


TS  Stanford 
ector  Berlioz 

Nothing."    It 

it.    Though  hu- 

'ing  impression  is 

:nelancholy."--The 


.£W 

Zakmung"    -  Goetz 

-    Rheinberger 

Song: 
Should  he  upbraid  -  -  Sir  Henry  Bishop 

THE  MERRY  WIVES  OF  WINDSOR 

Falstaff,  Opera  (produced  1894)  Verdi 

This  opera  is  notable,  outside  of  the  intrinsic  merit  of  the 
music,  for  two  things :  First,  that  Verdi  was  eighty  years  of 
age  when  he  wrote  it ;  and,  secondly,  the  masterly  libretto  of 
Boito,  the  Italian  poet  and  musician.  The  only  liberty  the 
librettist  took  was  that  of  including  a  passage  or  two  from 
Henry  IV. 

"It  is  the  very  incarnation  of  youth  and  high  spirits. 
Verdi  told  an  interviewer  that  he  thoroughly  enjoyed  writing 
it.  He  has  combined  a  schoolboy's  sense  of  fun  wtih  the  grace 
and  science  of  Mozart.  The  part  writing  is  often  exceedingly 
elaborate,  but  the  most  complicated  concerted  pieces  flow  on 
as  naturally  as  a  ballad.  The  glorious  finale  fugue  is  an  epito- 
me of  the  work.  It  is  really  a  marvel  of  contrapuntal  ingenu- 
ity, yet  it  is  so  full  of  bewitching  melody  and  healthy  anim;il 
spirits  that  an  uncultivated  hearer  would  probably  think  it 
nothing  but  an  ordinary  jovial  finale.  In  the  last  act  Verdi 
has  caught  the  charm  and  mystery  of  the  sleeping  forest  with 
exquisite  art.  In  the  fairy  music,  too,  he  also  reveals  another 
side  of  his  genius." 

"The  action  in  Falstaff  is  almost  as  rapid  as  if  the  ti-\t 
were  spoken ;  and  the  orchestra,  the  wittiest  and  most  sparkling 

10 


riant  orchestra  I  ever  heard, — comments  upon  the  monologue 
and  dialogue  of  the  book.  When  the  speech  becomes  rhetorical 
so  does  the  orchestra.  It  is  heightened  speech,  and  instead  of 
melody  of  the  antique  formal  pattern,  we  hear  the  endless  mel- 
ody which  Wagner  employs.  But  Verdi's  speech  is  his  own, 
and  does  not  savour  of  Wagner.  If  the  ideas  are  not  devel- 
oped or  do  not  assume  vaster  proportions,  it  is  because  of  their 
character.  They  could  not  be  so  treated  without  doing  violence 
tothe  sense  of  proportion.  Classic  purity  in  expression,  Latin 
exuberance,  joyfulness,  and  an  inexpressionably  delightful  at- 
mosphere of  irresponsible  youthfulness  and  gaiety  are  all  in 
this  charming  score.  No  one  can  ever  reproach  Verdi  with 
lack  of  ideas  in  FALSTAFF.  They  are  never  ending.  The 
orchestra  flows  furiously,  like  a  stream  of  quicksilver,  tossing 
up  repartee,  argument,  facts,  amplifying,  developing  and 
strengthening  the  text.  No  melody?  Why,  the  opera  is  one, 
long,  merry  tune — jocund,  blithe,  sweet,  dulcet  and  sunny.  Few 
moods  of  melancholy,  no  moods  of  madness,  but  all  gracious 

folly  and  fantasy Verdi's  musical  scholarship  is 

enormous.     He  paints  delicate  fairy-like    pictures,    using    the 
most  delicate  pigments  and  with  the  daintiest  touch  imagin- 
able ;  and  then  he  pens  a  severe  and  truthful  canon  in  the 
second  act,  which  excites  the  admiration  of  the  scholar." 
James  Huneker. 

Richard  Strauss  says:     "Falstaff  is  the  greatest  master- 
piece of  modern  Italian  music. 
Merry  Wives  of  Windsor,  Opera  -  -  Nicolai 

The  overture  is  familiar  to  everyone ;  but  the  opera  as  a 
whole  is  far  below  the  plane  of  Verdi's. 
Incidental  Music  -  -  Sullivan 

TWELFTH  NIGHT 
Overture  -  -   Mackenzie 

WINTER'S  TALE 

Overture  -  -  Joseph  Suk 

Opera,  ' '  Hermione ' '  -      Max  Bruch 

Opera  (produced  in  1908)  -  -  Goldmark 

Songs : 

Autolycus'  Song  J.  Greenhill 

Lawn  as  white  as  driven  snow  -  John  Wilson  or  R.  Johnson  (?) 
Six  Songs  (First  Set)  -  -  H.  Baines 

0  mistress  mine ;  When  icicles  hang  by  the  wall ;  Orpheus 
with  his  lute;  Sigh  no  more,  ladies;  Love's  renewal;  Shall  I 
come,  sweet  love,  to  thee? 
English  Lyrics  (Second  Set)    -  C.  Hubert  H.  Parry 

11 


0  mistress  mine ;  Take,  oh  take  those  lips  away ;  No  longer 
mourn  for  me ;  Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind ;  When  icicles 
hang  by  the  wall. 

CYMBELINE 

Songs : 

Hark,  Hark  the  Lark     -  -      Franz  Schubert 

Hark,  Hark  the  Lark  (3-part,  women's  voices)    -    Fr.  Schubert 

Arranged  by  N.  Clifford  Page. 
Hark,  Hark  the  Lark     -  -      G.  A.  McFarren 

Quartette,  mixed  voices. 

Hark  Hark  the  Lark    -  -    Karl  Friedrich  Curschmann 

Hark,  Hark  the  Lark    -  -    Dora  Bright 

Fear  no  more  the  heat  of  the  sun  -  -  C.  Hubert  H.  Parry 

Fear  no  more  the  heat  of  the  sun  -  -  Howenstein 

Mixed  or  men's  voices. 

Fear  no  more  the  heat  of  the  sun     -  -      H.  W.  Cardew 

Aubade   -  -    Paul  Vidal 

LOVE'S  LABOR'S  LOST 

Songs : 

When  daisies  pied  and  violets  blue  -  -  Arne 

When  icicles  hang  on  the  wall  -  -  Arne 

Measure  for  Measure  -  -  Song 

Take,  oh  take  those  lips  away  -  -  Wilson 

Take,  oh  take  those  lips  away  -  -  J.  A.  Taylor 
Take,  oh  take  those  lips  away  -                         -  B.  Luard-Selby 

Chanson  d'Hiver    -  -    Paul  Vidal 

Chanson  de  Printemps    -  -    Paul  Vidal 

VENUS  AND  ADONIS 

Bid  me  discourse  -  -  Sir  Henry  Bishop 

Lo,  here  the  gentle  lark    -  -    Sir  Henry  R.  Bishop 

THE  PASSIONATE  PILGRIM 

Crabbed  age  and  youth  -  -  Hubert  C.  Parry 

Crabbed  age  and  youth     -        -     Harvey  Worthington  Loomis 

THE  MERCHANT  OF  VENICE 
Le  carillon  d' Amour  (chanson  de  Porta)  -  -  Paul  Vidal 

Duo  pour  soprano  et  contralto. 
Les  coeurs  fermes    -  -    Paul  Vidal 

Duo  pour  soprano  et  alto. 

TWO  GENTLEMEN  OF  VERONA 

Who  is  Sylvia?      -  -      Franz  Schubert 

Who  is  Sylvia?    -  -    Gould,  Monk 

Who  is  Sylvia?    -  -    Dora  Bright 

12 


m 


Gay  lord  Bros. 

Makers 

Syracuse,  N.  Y 

PAT.  JAN.  21.  1908 


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